Bank Notes Out Of Circulation

Gladiator3544

Can anyone give me any advice on how to exchange Old Bank of England £20 notes which I have recently come across after an elderley relative died.
Is there a bank that will exchange them over the counter?

Minimods

You might get more for them on eBay... how much is there?

tom188

The bank of england

Bank_of_England wrote:

Exchanging Bank of England banknotes that have been withdrawn from circulation

Genuine Bank of England notes that have been withdrawn from circulation retain their face value for all time and can be exchanged at the Bank of England in London.

Notes of this type can be exchanged either by post or in person. If you are sending notes through the post it is recommended that a registered postal service is used. If you are intending to visit the Bank, please note the opening times below.

Damaged Bank of England notes are not exchanged by the Bank of England in London; damaged notes are dealt with by the Bank’s cash centre in Leeds. You will need to complete a form and send this with the damaged notes to the Bank in Leeds.
More information, including a copy of the claim form and address details, can be found in the ‘Damaged Notes’ section.

It is suggested that notes of this type are sent to the Bank in Leeds by a registered postal service.

The Bank of England is not responsible for the issue of coin. If you have coin to exchange please contact the Royal Mint helpdesk on 01443 222111.

Postal Exchange

Sending by post banknotes that have been withdrawn from circulation

Public Exchanges

Please complete a Public note exchanges form; this is to be sent with your note(s) .

If the total value is £1000 or more you will also need to send photocopy evidence of Identity Verification and Proof of address. If the value is for less than £1000 no identification is required.

Please note the acceptable forms of Identification below.

Counter Exchange

Bringing your banknotes that have been withdrawn from circulation to the Bank in person for exchange

If you wish to exchange your notes in person you will need to bring them to the Bank of England, Threadneedle Street, London. The nearest London Underground station is Bank on the Central and Northern Line; the Docklands Light Railway also serves Bank station.

Opening hours at the Bank in London are 9:30am until 3:00pm, Monday to Friday excluding Bank holidays.

Application forms to exchange notes are available at the Public Counter.

Public Exchanges

Please note that you will need to bring with you a form of Identity Verification and Proof of Address if the total value of the note exchange is £1000 or more. If the value is for less than £1000 no identification is required. You will be asked to complete an exchange form providing address information and details of where you got the notes from.
Please note the acceptable forms of Identification below.

If the value of your note exchange is £2,500 or more you will be issued with a receipt but the notes will not be exchanged the same day. The Bank will then send a payment by BACS for the appropriate amount within 10 working days.

Acceptable Identity Verification

* Valid Passport
* Valid Photo-Card Driving Licence (full or provisional)
* National Identity card (for non-UK nationals)
* Freedom Pass (travel pass for London residents over 60 or with eligible disability)
* Residence Permit
* Benefits Book/Letter from Benefits Agency
* Building Industry Sub-Contractors Certificate
* Inland Revenue Tax Notification
* Registered Disabled Badge/Certificate
* Firearms Certificate or Shotgun Licence

Acceptable Proof of Address

* Valid Photo-Card Driving Licence (full or provisional) if not used as name verification
* Electoral Register
* Utility Bill or Certificate from Supplier of Utilities
* Local Authority Tax Bill
* Bank, Building Society or Credit Union Statement/Passbook
* Most recent original Mortgage Statement
* Local Council Rent Card or Tenancy Agreement
* Benefits Book/Letter from Benefits Agency

Jono

The first item in the FAQ's should help you.

http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/banknotes/about/faqs.htm

Are old Bank of England notes worthless?
No; all Bank of England notes whether legal tender or not retain their face value for all time. If your local bank, building society or Post Office is not willing to accept these notes then they can be exchanged at the Bank of England in London. Contact the Bank of England for details.

JohalaReewi

I have always found that your normal high street bank will change old bank notes no problem.

Voyager2002

Remember that some collectors will pay more than face value for old bank-notes. See if anything similar is being sold on ebay and/or visit a stamp and coin dealer.